Cross River State Governor Udom Emmanuel has urged the Federal Government to operate free eye care services in the country.The governor stated this at the weekend during the inauguration of ‘Skipper Eye-Q’, an eye care hospital on Victoria Island, Lagos.

According to him: “Nigeria has very good doctors but lack of equipment has always been the challenge. The Federal Government should adopt free eye care services as a national scheme.”

Dignitaries who attended the event include Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu and others.Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olajide Idris said the state government would partner with the hospital on health care and referral cases.

Dangote said with the facilities available at Skipper Eye-Q, there would be no need to travel abroad for eye care. He pledged his foundation’s readiness to partner the hospital for free treatment to indigent citizens.The founder of the centre, Dr. Ajay Sharma said: “Our focus is on primary and secondary eye care needs of people in Lagos and its environs.”